macOS Tahoe
 | This article documents a WWDC event. Information may change rapidly and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (June 2025) |
| Version of the macOS operating system | |
 | |
 Screenshot of macOS Tahoe | |
| Developer | Apple Inc. |
|---|---|
| OS family | |
| Source model | Closed, with open source components |
| Latest preview | 26.0 beta[1] (June 9, 2025) [±] |
| Update method | Software Update |
| Platforms | ARM64 (Apple Silicon)
x86-64 (Intel) |
| Kernel type | Hybrid (XNU) |
| Default user interface | Liquid Glass |
| License | Proprietary software with open-source components and content licensed with APSL |
| Preceded by | macOS Sequoia |
| Official website | www |
| Tagline | Fresh faced. Timelessly Mac.[2] |
| Support status | |
| In developer beta. Drops support for the 2017 iMac Pro, 2018 Mac Mini, 2018 MacBook Pro, 2019 13 and 15” MacBook Pro, 2020 2 port 13”MacBook Pro, 2019 iMac, and the 2020 Intel MacBook Air. | |
| Part of a series on |
| macOS |
|---|
macOS Tahoe (version 26) is an operating system developed by Apple Inc. It is the twenty-third operating system in the macOS family. It is the direct successor to macOS Sequoia and was announced alongside iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, visionOS 26, and tvOS 26. It was announced at WWDC 2025 on June 9, 2025[3], and will be released in September 2025. It is named after Lake Tahoe in California, in line with Apple's practice of naming macOS releases after landmarks in the state.[4]
Starting from this version of macOS, Apple changed its numbering convention for consistency across all operating systems.[5]
macOS Tahoe will be the first version of macOS where the Mac Mini and MacBook Air are exclusively powered by Apple silicon, as it drops support for the final respective Intel-based models.
Tahoe will be the last version of macOS to support Intel-based Macs.[6]
Development
[edit]macOS Tahoe was announced by Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 9, 2025. It was announced alongside iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and watchOS 26.[7] The first developer beta was released the same day.
Features
[edit]macOS Tahoe introduces several new features and improvements, mainly focused on the user interface:[8]
- The UI has been completely redesigned for the first time since macOS Big Sur to use Liquid Glass, replacing Aqua, making it even more consistent with Apple's other platforms, which also receive it. The menu bar is now fully transparent. The cursor has been redesigned, now having a more rounded appearance.
- App icons have been unified with iOS and iPadOS, and can have dark and tinted variants like in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, as well as a new clear variant.
- Folder icons can now have custom colors, emblems, and emojis.
- Spotlight Search has been redesigned and gains quick actions, "quick-key" shortcuts, menubar search, and Apple Intelligence integration.
- Many iOS and iPadOS features have been brought over to the Mac, such as app tinting and Live Activities.
- The Phone and Journal apps are now included as part of macOS. The Phone app uses Continuity to integrate with the iPhone.
- The Control Center has been redesigned, now functioning like and resembling the iOS version introduced in iOS 18/iPadOS 18. The volume, brightness and keyboard brightness sliders have been redesigned, ditching the appearance that was used from OS X Yosemite.
- The Launchpad, introduced in OS X Lion and mostly unchanged afterwards, has been removed and replaced by the Applications feature which is similar to the App Library used on iOS since iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. It is integrated into the Spotlight interface. iPhone apps also appear in the Applications list through Continuity from the user's iPhone, and will launch through iPhone Mirroring.[9]
- A Magnifier app, Vehicle Motion Cues, a system-wide Accessibility Reader, and support for Braille displays comes as part of expanded accessibility features.
Supported hardware
[edit]macOS Tahoe supports all Macs with Apple silicon and some Macs with Intel's 9th generation Coffee Lake and Cascade Lake-based Xeon-W processors which released since late 2019, officially marking the end of support for Macs with Butterfly Keyboard or without T-series processors.
The only supported Intel Macs are the 2019 Mac Pro, the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro, the 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro with four Thunderbolt ports and the 2020 iMac. The following devices are compatible:[10]
- iMac (2020 and later)
- MacBook Air with Apple Silicon (2020 and later)
- MacBook Pro with Apple Silicon (2020 and later)
- MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) and MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- Mac Mini (2020 and later)
- Mac Pro (2019 and later)
- Mac Studio (all models)
During its Platforms State of the Union event at WWDC 2025, Apple announced that macOS Tahoe will be the last version of macOS that supports Intel Macs.[11]
Reference
[edit]- ^ Clover, Juli (June 9, 2025). "Apple Seeds First Developer Betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe and More". MacRumors. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- ^ "OS - macOS".
- ^ Benedetto, Antonio G. Di (June 9, 2025). "Apple announces macOS 26 Tahoe with new design and revamped search features". The Verge. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- ^ "macOS Tahoe: Everything We Know So Far". MacRumors. June 2, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- ^ "There's No Apple iOS 19: iPhone 17 To Have iOS 26 In Radical Change, Report Claims". Forbes. May 30, 2025. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
- ^ Mayo, Benjamin (June 9, 2025). "Apple will end support for Intel Macs next year, macOS 27 will require Apple Silicon". 9to5Mac. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- ^ "Apple introduces a delightful and elegant new software design". Apple Newsroom (Press release). Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- ^ "macOS Tahoe 26 makes the Mac more capable, productive, and intelligent than ever". Apple Newsroom. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
- ^ "macOS Tahoe Transforms Launchpad Into App Library". MacRumors. June 9, 2025. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
- ^ "macOS Tahoe Might Support One Fewer Mac Than Previously Rumored". MacRumors. June 7, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- ^ "Intel Macs Won't Get Updates After macOS Tahoe". MacRumors. June 9, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
